Slapend varken, mannenkoppen en een vrouwenkop 1864 - 1868

Editor: Here we have Johannes Tavenraat's pen and ink drawing, "Slapend varken, mannenkoppen en een vrouwenkop," created sometime between 1864 and 1868. It depicts a sleeping pig and various portraits of people. It’s a bit quirky and feels like a study sheet. What stands out to you about this piece? Curator: It’s fascinating to see a glimpse into the artist's process here. This isn't a formal piece meant for exhibition, but rather a look into the social landscape of the artist through quick character sketches. Consider what it meant to capture the "common" person in the mid-19th century. Do you see any common characteristics between the faces? Editor: I do, especially with the male figures. They look… weathered. You can see deep lines in their faces that speak to hard lives. The woman has softer lines but, overall, the people seem average rather than aristocratic, somehow? Curator: Precisely. This reflects a shift in artistic and social interest. No longer solely focused on the elite, there's a growing curiosity, and perhaps romanticism, about everyday life. The pig, of course, also departs from traditional subject matter in art and points to a shifting understanding of realism, although there may be some societal messaging through contrasting people to an animal. What might that message be? Editor: I'm not entirely sure, maybe reflecting something about Dutch society, and class structures at that time? Curator: It could reflect a perceived simplicity or even the unrefined nature associated with the working class, but we have to be careful not to project modern judgments. Regardless, its appearance here makes a statement about representation, both then and now, doesn't it? Editor: It definitely makes you think about who gets depicted and how social values play into art! Thank you! Curator: And thank you; considering those dynamics deepens our understanding of the work's relevance even today.